Monitoring server, distributed-processing determination method, and non-transitory computer-readable medium storing program

Abstract

A monitoring server includes a communication unit (11) that receives image data transmitted periodically from a robot (20), information on communication quality of a communication network between the monitoring server and the robot (20), and load information of the robot (20), and a distributed-processing control unit (12) that determines, based on at least one of tracking-operation-environment information of the tracking target (30) determined based on the image data, the information on the communication quality, and the load information, a process to be performed in the robot (20), and the process to be performed in the monitoring server itself from among an image analysis process including a plurality of processes, the image analysis process being a process of specifying the tracking target (30), in which the communication unit (11) transmits information on the process to be performed in the robot (20) to the robot (20).

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A monitoring server comprising:
 at least one memory storing instructions, and 
 at least one processor configured to execute the instructions to; 
 receive image data acquired by an information processing apparatus; and 
 determine, based on a type of required output of an image analysis process for the image data, a process to be performed in the information processing apparatus and a process to be performed in the monitoring server itself from among the image analysis process, wherein 
 the at least one processor is further configured to execute the instructions to receive at least one of information on communication quality of a communication network between the monitoring server and the information processing apparatus, and processing-load information of the information processing apparatus, and 
 determine, based on at least one of the content of the image analysis process, the information on the communication quality, and the processing-load information, the process to be performed in the information processing apparatus, and the process to be performed in the monitoring server itself from among the information analysis process. 
 
     
     
       2. The monitoring server according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the instructions to determine a content of the image analysis process based on the type of the output of the image analysis process. 
     
     
       3. The monitoring server according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the instructions to determine the type of the output of the image analysis process based on information on an execution status of an application based on the image data. 
     
     
       4. The monitoring server according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the at least one processor is further configured to execute the instructions to receive image data transmitted periodically from a robot, information on communication quality of a communication network between the monitoring server and the robot, and processing-load information on the robot, the robot being the information processing apparatus configured to pursue a tracking target, 
 determine, based on at least one of tracking-operation-environment information of the tracking target determined based on the image data, the information on the communication quality, and the processing-load information, a process to be performed in the robot, and the process to be performed in the monitoring server itself from among the image analysis process including a plurality of processes, the image analysis process being a process of specifying the tracking target, and 
 transmit information on the process to be performed in the robot to the robot. 
 
     
     
       5. The monitoring server according to  claim 4 , wherein when a processing load on the robot is smaller than a predetermined first processing load, the at least one processor is further configured to execute the instructions to determine that all the processes included in the image analysis process are performed in the robot irrespective of the tracking-operation-environment information and the information on the communication quality. 
     
     
       6. The monitoring server according to  claim 5 , wherein when the processing load on the robot is larger than a predetermined second processing load and the second processing load is larger than the first processing load, and when the communication quality is better than a predetermined first communication quality, the at least one processor is further configured to execute the instructions to determine that the robot transmits unprocessed image data and all the processes included in the image analysis process are performed in the monitoring server itself. 
     
     
       7. The monitoring server according to  claim 6 , wherein when the communication quality is better than a second communication quality and the second communication quality is poorer than the first communication quality, and when the processing load on the robot is larger than the predetermined first processing load and smaller than the second processing load, and the first processing load is smaller than the second processing load,
 the at least one processor is further configured to execute the instructions to determine whether the robot transmits image data obtained by compressing the unprocessed image data, or the robot performs a feature-value extraction process of extracting a feature value of the tracking target, the feature-value extraction process being included in the image analysis process. 
 
     
     
       8. The monitoring server according to  claim 7 , wherein when the tracking-operation-environment information does not contain a moving object other than the tracking target, the at least one processor is further configured to execute the instructions to determine that the robot performs the feature-value extraction process of extracting the feature value of the tracking target included in the image analysis process. 
     
     
       9. The monitoring server according to  claim 7 , wherein when the tracking-operation-environment information contains a moving object other than the tracking target, the at least one processor is further configured to execute the instructions to determine that the robot transmits the image data obtained by compressing the unprocessed image data. 
     
     
       10. The monitoring server according to  claim 4 , wherein when the processing load on the robot is larger than the predetermined first processing load and the communication quality is better than a predetermined first communication quality, the at least one processor is further configured to execute the instructions to determine that the robot transmits unprocessed image data and all the processes included in the image analysis process are performed in the monitoring server itself. 
     
     
       11. The monitoring server according to  claim 10 , wherein when the communication quality is poorer than the predetermined first communication quality and better than a second communication quality, and the first communication quality is better than the second communication quality, and when the processing load on the robot is larger than the predetermined first processing load and smaller than a second processing load, and the first processing load is smaller than the second processing load,
 the at least one processor is further configured to execute the instructions to determine whether the robot transmits image data obtained by compressing the unprocessed image data, or the robot performs a feature-value extraction process of extracting a feature value of the tracking target, the feature-value extraction process being included in the image analysis process. 
 
     
     
       12. The monitoring server according to  claim 11 , wherein when the tracking-operation-environment information does not contain a moving object other than the tracking target, the at least one processor is further configured to execute the instructions to determine that the robot performs the feature-value extraction process of extracting the feature value of the tracking target included in the image analysis process. 
     
     
       13. The monitoring server according to  claim 11 , wherein when the tracking-operation-environment information contains a moving object other than the tracking target, the at least one processor is further configured to execute the instructions to determine that the robot transmits the image data obtained by compressing the unprocessed image data. 
     
     
       14. The monitoring server according to  claim 4 , wherein the image analysis process comprises a feature-value extraction process of extracting the feature value of the tracking target, an object recognition process of recognizing an object corresponding to the tracking target, and an object specifying process of specifying the tracking target. 
     
     
       15. A distributed-processing determination method comprising:
 receiving image data acquired by an information processing apparatus; 
 determining, based on a type of required output of an image analysis process for the image data, a process to be performed in the information processing apparatus and a process to be performed in an own apparatus from among the image analysis process; 
 receiving image data transmitted periodically from a device, information on communication quality of a communication network between the monitoring server and the device, and processing-load information of the device, the device being the information processing apparatus configured to provide an AR service; 
 determining, when the process is determined, based on at least one of a shooting state of a target object determined based on the image data, the information on the communication quality, and the processing-load information, a process to be performed in the device, and the process to be performed in the monitoring server itself from among the image analysis process including a plurality of processes, the image analysis process being a process of specifying the target object; and 
 transmitting information on the process to be performed in the device to the device. 
 
     
     
       16. The distributed-processing determination method according to  claim 15 , comprising:
 receiving image data transmitted periodically from a robot, information of communication quality of a communication network between the monitoring server and the robot, and processing-load information of the robot, the robot being the information processing apparatus configured to pursue a tracking target; 
 determining, when the process is determined, based on at least one of tracking-operation-environment information of the tracking target determined based on the image data, the information on the communication quality, and the processing-load information, a process to be performed in the robot, and the process to be performed in the own device from among the image analysis process including a plurality of processes, the image analysis process being a process of specifying the tracking target; and 
 transmitting information on the process to be performed in the robot to the robot. 
 
     
     
       17. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program for causing a computer to perform:
 receiving image data acquired by an information processing apparatus; 
 determining, based on a type of required output of an image analysis process for the image data, a process to be performed in the information processing apparatus and a process to be performed in an own apparatus from among the image analysis process; 
 receiving image data transmitted periodically from a device, information on communication quality of a communication network between the monitoring server and the device, and processing-load information of the device, the device being the information processing apparatus configured to provide an AR service; 
 determining, when the process is determined, based on at least one of a shooting state of a target object determined based on the image data, the information on the communication quality, and the processing-load information, a process to be performed in the device, and the process to be performed in the monitoring server itself from among the image analysis process including a plurality of processes, the image analysis process being a process of specifying the target object; and 
 transmitting information on the process to be performed in the device to the device.